Table exercising machine



p 1954 R. G. SILVERTON ETAL 2,689,127

TABLE EXERCISING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1, 1952 JNVENTORSfimmeo 6. 5/11 5970 By FPA KG. N0 AN Arm/211573 Sept. 14, 1954 R. G.SILVERTON ETAL TABLE EXERCISING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1,1952 w 5 0 7 Z w w G M%& E 0/, I mm m I maa m Z Z I @m 1 m Y 2 .mW B m 6H M a 9 m u l J z W w w w Patented Sept. 14, 1954 UNITED 2,689,127 TABLEEXERCISING MACHINE Richard G. Silverton and Frank G. Nolan, Los Angeles,Calif.

Application July 1, 1952, Serial No. 296,646

7 Claims. 1

Our invention relates to exercising machines and included in the ob ectsof our invention are:

First, to proxide an exercising machine in the form of a table andincluding means for restraining of the upper portion of the patientsbody while applying a predetermined tension to the feet of the patient.Second, to provide an exercising machine whereby the patient himself oran attendant may relax, extend, manipulate, side bend and help toestablish the normal range of motion of the lower dorsal, lumbar andsacral areas of the spinal column for the purpose of helping therehabilitation of the muscular and neurological structures of theseareas and to help relieve spasms of these areas which may have beencaused by disease, trauma or fatigue.

Third, to provide an exercising machine of this class wherein the degreeof exercise afforded may be readily controlled or limited, if desired,so as to be maintained within the capabilities of the patient.

With the above and other objects in view as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of our exercising machine.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view thereof.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view through 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view through 3-5 ofFigure 1.

Figure 7 is a sectional view through 1-! of Figure 6.

Our exercising machine includes table I having a padded surface andsupported from asubframe 2 of similar area by means of vertical spacers3. The sub-frame rests on :legs 4.

Near the head end of the table, there is provided, at each side,longitudinally extending guide bars 5 to which are adjustably secured,by fastening means 6, a pair of arm restraining members 1 adapted toengage under the arms of a patient to restrict longitudinal movement ofthe patient toward the foot end of the table.

The table I is provided with a rectangular aperture in which is set aback supporting and exercising panel 8. The panel 3 is mounted on aninner box frame 9, guided within an outer box frame I0, suitably securedto cross members forming a part of the sub-frame 2. The inner box frameis capable of vertical sliding movement. To accomplish this, a driveshaft II extends through the outer box frame and terminates at the sidesof the sub-frame 2. A second or countershaft I2 is also supported in theouter box frame. This construction is best shown in Figures 3, Sand 7.The drive shaft and countershaft are provided with mating gears I3 andI4.

2 The gears are provided with lever arms I5, having rollers I6 whichengage elevator bars I I, secured in the inner box frame 9. Rotation ofthe drive shaft I I causes the lever arms I5 to raise the inner boxframe. The inner box frame and panel lower by gravity.

The extremities of the drive shaft II are provided with upwardlydirected handle levers I8, terminating in handles I9 directed outwardlyfrom the table. The handles are so located that they may be grasped by apatient lying on the table.

The table I is also provided with a circular opening in which is set apelvis exercising panel 20, capable of pivoting movement. The pelvisexercising panel 2|] is mounted on an under frame 2| having a centralpivot pin 22 and supported on a suitable ball bearing structure 23.Struts 24 are secured to the under frame 2I and extended from the footend from the table I between the table and its sub-frame 2. Theextremities of the struts are connected by a cross bar. In addition, thestruts are provided with a roller carriage 26 which rides on the endmember of the sub-frame, this member having a radius of curvaturecentered at the pelvis exercising panel 20. The projecting extremitiesof the struts 24 are provided with vertically disposed guide brackets 21which form tracks on which slide a series of weights 28. Each set ofweights is connected by a cable 29 which passes over a pulley 30 at theupper extremity of the corresponding guide bracket 21 and is attached toa boot 3 I, adapted to receive a foot of a patient.

Secured under the table I, are a pair of bar crank levers 32, havingarms with rollers 33 at their extremities, engageable with the structs24. The bar cranks 32 are provided with fulcrum pivots 34, separated bya cross bar forming a part of the sub-frame 2. The remaining arm of eachbar crank lever is joined to a connecting rod 35 which, in turn, issecured to a lever arm 33, having a sleeve 31 adapted to journal an endof the drive shaft I I. Each sleeve, in turn, is journaled in a bearing38, secured to the sub-frame 2. Each sleeve 37 is provided with a handlearm 33 which extends upwardly adjacent a corresponding handle arm I8.The upper extremities of the handle arms 39 are provided with inturnedhandles 4|].

Operation of our exercising machine is as follows: The patient lies onthe table in a supine position. The boots 3| are fastened over the feetof the patient. The patient is so positioned that the pelvic region iscentered on the panel 26. The arm restraining members 6 are'positionedto engage under the arms of the patient so as to restrain the patientagainst movement towards the foot of the table. The weights 23 arearranged in units so that one or more weights may be applied to providethe desired degree of tension on the boots. By reason of the fact thatthe pulleys 33 are above the level of the table, the patients feet areraised slightly. The patient or attendant can then operate the handles46 to pivot the exercise panel and to move the extremities of thestruts, including the boots and weight members, from side to side. Alsothe patient or attendant can operate the handles I9 to raise and lowerthe back position and exercising panel 8.

Thus, by means of handles [9 or 40, the patient and attendant may relax,extend, manipulate, side bend and help to establish the normal range ofmotion of the lower dorsal, lumbar and sacral areas of the spinal columnto help rehabilitate the muscular and neurological structures of theseareas, and to release spasms of the above mentioned areas which may havebeen caused by disease, trauma or fatigue.

Having fully described our invention, it is to be understood that we donot wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but ourinvention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An exercising machine, involving: a flat padded fixed tablestructure, adapted to receive a patient in a supine position and havingan aperture therein in the region of the patients back; a flat paddedback exercising panel set in said aperture and movable vertically to andfrom the surface of said table structure; and means including handlevers at the sides of said table and accesssible to a patient lying onsaid table and panel for moving said panel.

2. An exercising machine, involving: a table structure, adapted toreceive a patient in a supine position; a back exercising panel set insaid table and movable vertically to and from the surface thereof; alaterally oscillatable lever structure disposed under said tablestructure and having a vertical fulcrum axis located at the pelvicregion of said patient; feet retaining means above the foot end of saidtable structure connected to said lever structure and movable from sideto side of said table; and independent means for operating saidvertically movable panel and oscillatable lever structure.

3. An exercising machine, involving: a table structure, adapted toreceive a patient in a supine position; a back exercising panel set insaid table and movable vertically to and from the surface thereof; alaterally oscillatable lever structure disposed under said tablestructureand having a vertical fulcrum axis located at the pelvic regionof said patient; feet retaining means above the foot end of said tablestructure connected to said lever structure and movable from'side toside of said table; and independent'pairs of hand levers disposed at thesides of said table and accessible to a patient lying thereon connectedrespectively to said vertically movable panel and said laterallyoscillatable levers to effect arching of the patients back and lateraloscillation of the patients legs.

4. An exercising machine, involving: a table structure, adapted toreceive a patient in a supine position; a laterally oscillatable leverstructure under said table structure; feet retaining means above one endof said table connected with said oscillatable lever structure andmovable therewith from side to side of said table; means engageableunder the arms of a patient to restrain the patient against longitudinalmovement toward the foot end of the table; means for applying tension tosaid feet retaining means, thereby to-stretch said patient; and meansfor operating said cscillating panel and feet retaining means.

5. An exercising machine, involving: a table structure, adapted toreceive a patient in a supine position; a laterally oscillatable leverstructure under said table structure; feet retaining means above one endof said table connected with said oscillatable lever structure andmovable therewith from side to side of said table; means engageableunder the arms of a patient to restrain the patient against longitudinalmovement toward the foot end of the table; and hand levers at the sidesof said table accessible by a patient disposed thereon to operate saidlaterally oscillating lever and feet retaining means.

6. An exercising machine, comprising: a fixed padded table adapted toreceive a patient in a supine position; longitudinally adjustablebrackets overlying the table and including retainer members adapted tofit under the arms of the patient; a laterally oscillatable leverstructure disposed under the table with its fulcrum below the pelvicregion of the patient and protruding from the foot thereof; a pair offoot receiving devices located above the table and adapted to be securedto the feet of the patient; means carried by said lever structure andattached to said foot receiving devices to draw said devices toward thefoot end of said table, thereby to place the patient restrained by saidarm engaging members under traction; and a set of hand levers at thesides of said table accessible to the patient and operatively connectedwith said lever structure to effect lateral oscillation thereof andcorersponding lateral oscillation of the patients legs.

7. An exercising machine, comprising: a fixed padded table adapted toreceive a patient in a supine position; longitudinally adjustablebrackets overlying the table and including retainer members adapted tofit under the arms of the patient; a laterally oscillatable leverstructure disposed under the table with its fulcrum below the pelvicregion of the patient and protruding from the foot thereof; a pair offoot receiving devices located above the table and adapted to be securedto the feet of the patient; meanscarrled by said lever structure andattached to said foot receiving devices to draw said devices toward thefoot end of said table, thereby to place the patient restrained by saidarm engaging members under traction; a set of hand levers at the sidesof said table accessible to the patient and 'operatively connected withsaid lever structure to effect lateral oscillation thereof andcorresponding lateral oscillation of the patients legs; a panel set insaid table in the region of the patients back; guides for-moving saidpanel vertically between a lower position substantially flush with thetable and a raised position thereby to arch the back of the patient;and'a second set of hand levers at the sides of said table accessible tothe patient and operatively connected with saidpanel to raiseand lowerthe same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 7 902,946 De Nise Nov-3, 19.08 1,456,030 Molby May 22,19231,641,188 Mittag Sept. 6, 1927 1,695,689 Hulander Dec. 18, 19281,701,747 Dobbins Feb. 12,1929 1,721,709 Odell July 23, 1929 1,837,372Johnson '-Dec. 22, 1931 1,950,174 Harrison Mar. 6, 1934 2,548,408 TammenApr. 10, 1951 2,586,610 Butler Feb. 19, 1952

